Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Parallel translations
- WEB Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Joseph into Egypt.
- BSB So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
- NKJV Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
- NASB Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him out and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. So they brought Joseph into Egypt.
- NLT So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Midianite/Ishmaelite traders draw Joseph from the pit, and he is sold for twenty pieces of silver and taken to Egypt. Joseph's betrayal is complete as he is carried into slavery.
Overview
Joseph is lifted from the pit and sold for twenty pieces of silver to the passing merchants, who bring him to Egypt. The terms Midianites and Ishmaelites are used together, likely referring to overlapping desert traders, a point on which faithful interpreters have offered various harmonizations. Sold by his brothers for silver, Joseph descends into Egypt, where God will providentially raise him up to save many lives.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Acts 7:9And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
- Ps 105:17He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
- Gen 45:4–5And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
- Gen 25:2And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
- Matt 26:15And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
- Judg 6:1–3And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
- Gen 37:36And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.
- Gen 37:25And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
- Judg 8:24And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
- Judg 8:22Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
- Zech 11:12–13And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
- Exod 2:16Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.
- Num 31:2–3Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
- Num 25:15And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.
- Matt 27:9Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;
- Ps 83:9Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
- Isa 60:6The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.
- Num 25:17Vex the Midianites, and smite them:
- Num 31:8–9And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
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From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
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Original language
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